


Of Mutual Benefit

by penny



Category: Baccano!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: roads_diverged, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-20
Updated: 2008-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-04 09:54:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penny/pseuds/penny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Genoard Family's power and influence is fading, but it may still have enough of both for Eve to negotiate an arrangement with the Gandors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Mutual Benefit

**Author's Note:**

> For Roads Diverged, Society - Empire prompt.

The Gandors were New Money, and if her parents or Geoffrey were still alive -- if Dallas had not disappeared -- perhaps Eve would not have to worry about sullying the Genoard name. Eve shook her head. No, that was her mother's influence, and she best rid herself of it before they arrived at the Gandor Estate. Given her position -- the Genoard's current position -- Eve had no right to be so haughty.

Besides, what would sully the Genoard name would be an alliance with the Runorata Family. Eve had overheard enough of her father's conversations with Geoffrey to know the Runorata Family, though Old Money, was corrupt and ruthless. At least the Gandor Family had an honorable reputation.

Beside her, Elean shifted. "Is there a problem, Miss Genoard?"

"No." Eve glanced up at him, folding her hands carefully in her lap. Perhaps she should have hired Nicolas to serve as her negotiator. Elean, while well-spoken and well-dressed, looked too much like a servant. Eve purposively did not look at Samantha sitting up front with the driver.

"Because you don't have to do this if there is. I can have the driver turn around."

Eve shook her head again. Elean's concern -- etched on his face as well as in his voice -- reminded her why she hired him over anyone else at his Guild. He would negotiate with her best interests in mind. Eve had no doubt of that.

And if the Gandor brothers judged her based solely on Elean's appearance, they were not as honorable as their reputation claimed.

The car slowed to a stop at the gate to the Gandor Estate, the purr of the idling engine oddly comforting. The driver rolled down the window and spoke to the Gateman, both their voices low, and then the gate swung open.

Elean let out a low whistle. The Gandor Estate was impressive, the lawn large and immaculate and impossibly green, the mansion elegant and understated. Like an Old Money manor, Eve noted with a wry smile. Some of the tension loosened in her chest as the driver came to a stop in the roundabout.

Eve waited for Elean to exit, then slid across the seat and allowed him to help her out of the car. Gravel crunched under her heels, and the sensation was surprisingly comforting. There was no real difference between her family's land and the Gandor's land. Were she to step into the garden, she'd find the same loamy earth and likely the same herbs and flowers.

"If you're not comfortable, Miss Genoard..."

"Are you trying to tell me the information I purchased from your Guild is misleading?"

"No no no!" Elean said quickly, waving his hands.

Eve straightened her back. "Then I am comfortable."

"It's just that you're so young, Miss Genoard!"

She paused at the first step, turned and smiled up at him. Yes, she was young, but she had people -- she had Dallas -- depending on her.

* * *

 

Eve Genoard was so young and so small, but watching her emerge from the car, seeing the steely set of her shoulders, her determined expression, Luck would never make the mistake of thinking her delicate. He stepped away from the window. "Show her directly to the study," he ordered Tick. "Keith's already waiting."

Tick bowed his head. "Yes, sir." His fingers twitched, as if even now, he could feel his scissors.

"Watch your hands," Luck said. If the young Miss Genoard had heard anything about Tick's true position in the household -- she had hired a negotiator from the Information Guild, and it would be a mistake to assume she had not purchased other services -- Tick's hands might make her nervous. Well, more nervous than he wanted her. Tick's presence was more for the benefit of her negotiator.

"Yes, sir, Mister Gandor." Tick clasped his hands behind his back.

Better. Luck nodded his approval and went to join Keith in the study. "She's here."

Keith glanced over at the clock. He appreciated punctuality, and Miss Genoard was right on time.

"She'll be tough," Luck said, settling down in one of the armchairs by the fireplace. The tea set was already on the table, the pot and cups white porcelain, decorated with a blue rose pattern. It was not the simple set Keith preferred.

"Katherine?" Luck asked, gesturing at the set.

Keith nodded. "The Genoards are Old Money."

Ah yes. Keith didn't need to explain the rest of Katherine's argument. Luck knew it well enough. It was all about show with Old Money, understated elegance, nothing ostentatious.

There was a sharp knock on the door, then Tick swing it open. "Miss Genoard and Elean." He stepped aside, and both stepped boldly into the room.

Luck and Keith rose from their chairs. "Welcome, Miss Genoard," Luck said.

"Thank you for your invitation," Eve said. She accepted the chair Keith pulled out for her, eyes flickering briefly to the tea, then to the books lining the shelves, the family portrait hanging over the mantle. "Your home is lovely."

"It's Katherine's touch." Luck smiled and poured the tea.

"Your wife?" Eve asked Keith, though it sounded more like a statement. "I'm told she's quite wonderful, though I'm afraid I've never met her."

Keith nodded, his expression softening. Then he exchanged a quick look with Luck. Miss Genoard would meet Katherine soon enough if she was here for the reason they suspected.

Miss Genoard accepted her tea, exchanged her own brief glance with Elean, then set her cup down, "I've heard you two take an active role in your Family's business. It would be rude to waste your time with useless pleasantries."

"Isn't a woman of your station supposed to find pleasantries useful?" Luck asked, sipping his tea.

"Does Madame Gandor?"

"At times."

"Then I will remember that when I do finally meet her."

Keith chuckled, which meant Luck didn't need to bother hiding his smile. "Very well, Miss Genoard. We are curious what the Genoard Family wants with the Gandors."

Elean sighed and made a show of adjusting his glasses. "You know as well as Miss Genoard. She wants an alliance."

"There are many ways to achieve an alliance," Luck said carefully. Though the most likely one given Miss Genoard's current position was marriage. Or rather, engagement, since, thanks to the complexity of the laws, she was still too young to marry despite being old enough to enter into binding contracts.

Elean let out another heavy sigh. "And you know what she is offering."

"Do we?"

"I believe Elean meant to say you suspect what I intend to offer."

Luck glanced over at Keith. It was hard to tell what Keith was thinking sometimes, but Luck could pick out the faint traces of amusement and interest. So Luck said, "Your hand in marriage."

"With my father and Geoffrey dead, and Dallas missing, my husband will hold the Genoard estate in trust," she clasped her hands in her lap, the only sign of her nervousness her white knuckles, "until Dallas returns or my heir reaches the age of majority."

"We're aware of the law. We're also aware of the state of the Genoard's finances."

Miss Genoard blushed. Her gaze slid away, briefly, but then she met Luck's eyes again, her expression firm and determined. "It's true. The Genoard Family does not have much money, but money is not the only form of wealth. We have land and factories, and with the rumors of war with the Lumeres, our factories stand to make a tidy profit."

Keith shifted, and Luck didn't have to glance at him to know he was interested in Miss Genoard's proposal. Still, the Genoard Family was not the only one courting the Gandors, and an alliance would benefit Miss Genoard more than anyone else.

And, if Luck were to be perfectly honest, Miss Genoard was much too young for his tastes. He honestly had no desire to marry her.

"Any marriage would be two years away. Your brother could be found by then."

Elean cleared his throat. "Miss Genoard has some assets of her own, property and interest her father left specifically to her. She has enough to offer on her own should Dallas Genoard return to take his place as head of the Family."

Luck leaned back. He did not know what holdings Miss Genoard held solely in her name, but it couldn't be many. "No. She doesn't."

"We are negotiating Luck's marriage into Klein Family," Keith said, much to Luck's relief. He wasn't much more enthusiastic about the prospect of marrying Lua Klein, but at least Lua was a woman.

"Oh." Miss Genoard startled. "My apologies. You misunderstand. My goal is to negotiate a marriage to your brother Berga."

* * *

 

"Berga?" Katherine laughed. Really laughed, and it was a good minute before her laughter stopped shaking the bed and she was composed enough to gasp, "Well, it's a smart choice. She should know she's not going to land Luck."

Keith folded his hands behind his head. "She's too young for him."

"Do you really think Berga is going to have the same concern?"

"Careful." Keith frowned. "Berga is --"

Katherine propped herself up on one elbow. "Yes, I know, Berga only looks like a brute."

Well, as lies went, that was one of Katherine's more believable ones. Berga did have manners, and he was only a brute when someone needed beating. When he married, he'd treat his wife like a lady.

"Anyway," Katherine continued, "she's not bothered by the difference in age. Men marry younger women all the time, and girls like her, well, she's probably happy she's not negotiating a marriage to a man old enough to be her father." She rolled over and draped herself across his chest. "So. Which one of you is going to talk to Berga?"

Keith grunted.

She chuckled, slung her leg over his hip. "I thought so."

He traced a pattern on her smooth shoulder. "Are you going to do something with all that posing, or are you just teasing?"

She grinned. "I can't do all the work here."

"Take pity on me. I'm going to get beat up by my younger brother tomorrow."

"If that happens, I'll do all the work tomorrow." She straddled him, leaned down to kiss him, then guided his hand to her breast. "Tonight you have to do your fair share."

* * *

 

His rarely saw his brothers. Berga didn't have much free time, and the army discouraged visitors on base. Still, that didn't mean he rarely heard from his brothers. He had boxes of letters, and Berga had never been so thankful he was an officer and therefore had his own room, because he remembered living in the barracks. His bunkmates would have a good long laugh over the fact he refused to throw any of the letters away.

"Lieutenant colonel!"

Berga turned. Fuck. One minute away from 48 hours of freedom, and some private had to find him. "Yeah?" He returned the kid's salute.

"Visitor at the gate. Man named Keith. Says he's your brother."

Berga blinked. Keith was here? He slid his feet off the desk. Well, he was free now. Couldn't leave base, but he could mosey down to the gate and hope Keith wasn't coming to deliver bad news.

"Um."

"Thanks for the message, kid. Dismissed."

"Sir!"

Berga shook his head. Damn green kids. Eight weeks ago, that one was probably some delinquent, but basic squeezed all rebellion out of a man. Most men, anyway.

Keith was sharing a smoke with the sentries. It was against regulation, but Berga wasn't going to bust them. "No cigars?"

Keith smiled and shook his head. "Next time." He glanced at the sentries. Between Keith's sharp look and Berga's glower, they backed off.

"What's the occasion?"

"How do you feel about getting married?"

Married? Fuck. No wonder Keith didn't bring any cigars. Didn't want to make it seem like a celebration. "You and Luck are the marrying types."

"We've been approached by someone hoping to marry you."

Who would want to marry him? Luck was the handsome one, the charming one. Berga liked it that way. Still, if Keith was here asking him these things, it was probably good for the Family. "And?"

"It's Eve Genoard."

"Didn't think she was old enough."

"She will be in two years."

Just when his stint in the army was up. Unless he decided to reenlist, but Keith and Luck were already making noises about him taking up his place in the Family, and truthfully, Berga was ready for it. He'd done his duty for his country, liked the experience overall, but he'd be glad to escape military discipline. Too rigid. Too much emphasis on the chain of command.

"Why does she want to marry me?"

Keith shrugged.

"You didn't ask?"

"There's still time to ask. I want to know what you think."

"Genoard name doesn't carry as much power as it used to, but I hear the Runorata Family are trying to bully little Eve into a marriage." Berga cracked his knuckles absently. The Runorata were bastards, and he'd love to fuck them over, but he'd be fucking them over with a little girl. That felt...wrong.

Keith took the last drag from his cigarette. Berga waited, but apparently, Keith didn't have anything else to add.

"What do you and Luck think?"

"It has the potential to be a mutually beneficial arrangement."

Of course. Keith wouldn't be here if it didn't. Berga rubbed his face. "Go ahead with your negotiations. The girl and I can come to our own mutually beneficial arrangement in a couple of years."

Keith nodded.

* * *

 

The ride to the Gandor Estate was a familiar trek by now. Even Mister Tick was beginning to be a reassuring presence. From the information Elean volunteered, Mister Tick wasn't really a butler and might, if this final round of negotiations went as planned, be one of the men the Gandors assigned to protect her when she joined the household.

"Are you sure about this, Miss Genoard?" Elean asked, helping her out of the car.

"Yes. This is something I have to do."

"Berga Gandor will be here this time."

Eve faltered for the first time, but only momentarily. "Good." She took a steadying breath. She should see him. She should hear from him that he was agreeing to the arrangement, just as he should hear from her that she wanted this.

"I was asked not to tell you, but --"

"Thank you." She didn't need to know who asked him. If it was his Guild, his disobedience would get him trouble. If it was the Gandors, they had to know he would warn her.

"Good afternoon, Miss Genoard," Mister Tick sing-songed, bowing. "Elean. This way, please."

"Thank you." Eve followed him down a different hallway this time, back to the kitchen. The Gandor brothers -- and oh, Berga was even larger than she expected -- sat at a simple oak table, bantering over...over cards? And beyond them, a woman -- the family cook? -- stood at the stove, stirring one of the three pots simmering on the burners. The scents -- meat and garlic and herbs -- made Eve's mouth water.

She clutched her purse. Was this supposed to unsettle her?

"Miss Genoard and Elean," Tick said, and then he made a hasty retreat.

"Oh, wonderful!" The woman at the stove turned, and Eve blushed for thinking she was the cook.

She'd seen pictures of Katherine and Keith's wedding. Katherine was even more lovely in person, elegant even with steam-mussed hair and heat-flushed cheeks. Eve curtseyed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

The Gandor brothers looked up from her cards. Eve bit down on her lip. They seemed to be waiting for something, and all of Eve's etiquette lessons were failing her for this situation.

Elean cleared his throat. "What are you cooking, Madame Gandor?"

"Oh, a winter stew." She laughed. "I know, it's the middle of summer, but it's Berga's favorite, and since we so rarely see him..." She turned back to the stove to stir the middle pot.

"Don't you have..." Eve trailed off, watching the brothers carefully. Luck was already looking back down at his cards, seemingly bored. Keith was watching her sharply, the beginnings of a frown furrowing his brow. And Berga hunched uncomfortably over his cards, trying to make it look like he wasn't watching her.

"Don't you help the woman?" Elean asked loudly, placing a light, warning hand at her back. "Um, excuse me, Madame Gandor. I meant --"

Madame Gandor laughed. "I enjoy this. Now, go sit down. I believe you have business."

The three brothers rose, and it was Berga who pulled out a chair for her. Eve sat with a small smile. This was a test, she'd decided. The Gandors were a very different family than hers, but she'd show them she would adapt.

"Berga has some questions," Luck said, still looking at his cards. "He'd like to know why you want him."

"Instead of you?" Eve asked.

Luck looked up at that. Elean coughed, but Eve ignored him. Maybe it was the informal setting, but she felt...blunt. Or perhaps tired of the endless dance around their real objectives.

"Yes, instead of me," Luck said.

Eve smiled. "If I may be blunt?"

Luck nodded, but Eve waited for Berga's nod before continuing. She turned slightly to face Berga. "I wish I could tell you I've been harboring a secret love, but truthfully, it's because of your appearance. I want more than a strong alliance between our Families. I want a strong protector." She glanced over at Luck. "I'm sure you're all very strong and all very capable of protecting your wives, but Berga looks the strongest."

"Berga is the strongest," Keith said.

"Now why would you need a strong protector?" Katherine turned from the stove, ignoring the stew dripping from her spoon.

Eve licked her lips, but refused to look down. "Because I'm going to find my brother." She looked at each of the Gandors, even Katherine, in turn. "I know he's in trouble, and I know it will be dangerous, but he's my brother."

Berga was the only one who didn't look away. He spread his cards face up on the table, and from the way Luck and Keith winced, it looked like he won the hand. "He'll be our brother, too."

"In two years." Keith gathered up the cards, started shuffling.

"You two better help my fiancé find him so he can attend the wedding." Berga's smile made him seem...handsome, kind. "She'll need someone to walk her down the aisle."

"Yes." Relief made Eve giddy. She'd be all right. Dallas would be all right, and the Genoards would gain a powerful ally.


End file.
